Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 113 Part 3.djvu/633

PROCLAMATION 7229—SEPT. 30, 1999 113 STAT. 2151 1999 as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I call upon government officials, businesses, communities, healtti care professionals, educators, volunteers, and all the people of the United States to publicly reaffirm oxu- Nation's strong and continuing commitment to controlling and curing breast cancer. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7229 of September 30, 1999 National Disability Employment Awaireness Month, 1999 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation As Americans, we define oiurselves in many ways—not only by our families and communities, but also by ovu" work; not only by who we are, but also by what we do for a living. Millions of Americans with disabilities, however, do not share that experience because their path to the world of work has been strewn with barriers. At a time when the imemployment rate in our Nation is at the lowest level in a generation—-4.2 percent—a staggering 75 percent of Americans with disabilities remain unemployed, even though the vast majority of them want to work. One of the greatest barriers to employment for people with disabilities is that, under current law, they often become ineligible for Medicaid or Medicare if they work. That is why I have challenged the Congress to pass the bipartisan Work Incentives Improvement Act. This proposed legislation would extend Medicare coverage for people with disabilities who return to work and improve access to health care through Medicaid. No American should ever be forced to choose between health care coverage and employment, and this legislation will help ensure that no one has to make that choice. In addition to fully funding the Work Incentiv(js Improvement Act, my Administration's proposed budget includes a $1,000 tax credit to help people with disabilities offset the cost of spijcial transportation and other work-related expenses. We are also seeking to double our investment in such assistive technology as braille translators, mobile phones, and voice recognition software that give disabled citizens the tools they need to make the transition to work. And in June of this year, I signed an Executive order to expand employment opportunities for people with psychiatric disabilities and set an example for the private sector by ensuring that the Federal Government's hiring and promotion standards are the same for these workers as they are for people with mental retardation or severe physical disabilities. Next year our Nation will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 25th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act—^the two landmark pieces of legislation that transformed our country's disability policy and set a standard for 69-194-01-21:QL3Part3